Guest smell32 Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Hi there Can anyone tell me the cost implications of owning a swimming pool in Oz. We would like our new life to be everything and more - A typical I am sure. One of the things on our hypothetical wish list is a house with a swimming pool. Do swimming pools cost a lot to maintain on a yearly basis. Or should we just go to the beach? No jibes - were British! :rolleyes: ta Smell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JLT Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 I'd also be interested in hearing about pools. Good thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest30038 Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Last year the maintenance on mine averaged $60 a month. That's just chemicals. There's the cost of electricity and water to think about and the time keeping it clean. If you're on a tight budget, steer clear, if you aren't, then it's a Godsend for the kids and for self when the weather gets hot. kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Happyone Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Running costs really depend on the type of pool you get. We went all out and got a top of the range Hurlcon filter, salt pool. Threw a bag of salt in it once every 6 months ($30??) and the filter makes its own chlorine. So for chemicals it costs us nothing really. Got the water tested all the time and only had to put acid in it once, about $6 a year. Electricity to run the filter would be another cost, never figured out what that was. Only other problem was the creepy crawly cleaner kept falling apart but for the most part having a pool is pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 If you have the money go for it, we tend to use ours for about 4 months of the year and then our boys get bored with it and say it's too cold :laugh: They are great when it's hot and PITA when it's not as you are supposed to keep it running all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest30038 Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Running costs really depend on the type of pool you get. We went all out and got a top of the range Hurlcon filter, salt pool. Threw a bag of salt in it once every 6 months ($30??) and the filter makes its own chlorine. So for chemicals it costs us nothing really. Got the water tested all the time and only had to put acid in it once, about $6 a year. Electricity to run the filter would be another cost, never figured out what that was. Only other problem was the creepy crawly cleaner kept falling apart but for the most part having a pool is pretty good. No sunscreen? No algaecide? "The running of the filter pump is the main cost. A 750 watt pump will cost approximately 10c and hour to run & needs to run for approximately 6-8 hours per day for 365 days per year. The Salt Water Chlorinator requires a constant level of salt (approx 1/10 the consistency of sea water) Rain water will dilute the salt level & most pools require approximately 6 bags of salt per year at approx $10/ per bag. The total balance of the water should be checked monthly, some stabiliser, Bi-Carb and Calcium Hardness may need to be added. The average pool should cost approx $450 to operate yearly." Something to bear in mind is that in summer, if you test your water fortnightly due to constant usage, heavy rain etc, you may be lucky and find the pool is ok, then at the next test, you may find that you have to find over $100 to put it right. Chemicals can not be bought ad hoc, there are certain procedures for which one goes in first and you can get hit with finding the money for these chemicals all in one hit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legoman Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 There is a saying there. 'Dont get a pool, get a friend who has a pool' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20yrspommie Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 A lot depends on where you live and the orientation of the pool (getting the Northern Sun is best). In Sydney without heating you would use it probably 4 to 5 months a year. The other consideration is the age of children, by the time they get to around 11/12 the novelty has started to wear thin. Then you have the maintenance, either salt or chlorine is an aggressive environment so pool cleaners (JetVac) don't have a long life so budget 350 a year to replace. Chemical usage can be reduced significantly as can water top ups if you have a pool cover, one with a thermal transfer can also reduce heating costs. I reckoned on 15 to 45 litres of chlorine a month depending on time of year. Hardly used any acid after putting on the cover. Then factor in your time to keep it clean. Good luck any question happy to answer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Happyone Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 No sunscreen? No algaecide? "The running of the filter pump is the main cost. A 750 watt pump will cost approximately 10c and hour to run & needs to run for approximately 6-8 hours per day for 365 days per year. The Salt Water Chlorinator requires a constant level of salt (approx 1/10 the consistency of sea water) Rain water will dilute the salt level & most pools require approximately 6 bags of salt per year at approx $10/ per bag. The total balance of the water should be checked monthly, some stabiliser, Bi-Carb and Calcium Hardness may need to be added. The average pool should cost approx $450 to operate yearly." Something to bear in mind is that in summer, if you test your water fortnightly due to constant usage, heavy rain etc, you may be lucky and find the pool is ok, then at the next test, you may find that you have to find over $100 to put it right. Chemicals can not be bought ad hoc, there are certain procedures for which one goes in first and you can get hit with finding the money for these chemicals all in one hit. No, we never put anything like that in. Did the home test each week and adjusted the chlorine button accordingly. Did the pool shop test once a month in summer and it was always fine. We did always keep the cover on it when not in use though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 I think in the last 12 months i have spent about $50 on pool chemical ,be it Algae block, acid, buffer etc. In summer my pump runs off peak for approx 8 hours a day, in winter it runs off peak for around 4 hours a day. With children i think its well worth it and i could never personally live through a QLD summer without a pool, for sanity reasons,lol. The kids swim most nights after school and all weekend,i think its a relative 'cheap' activity for kids and adults too,lol. We have had the pool 3 years now and the 'novelty' hasnt worn off, just wish i could afford solar heating so it could be used through winter too! Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabroom Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 I think in the last 12 months i have spent about $50 on pool chemical ,be it Algae block, acid, buffer etc. In summer my pump runs off peak for approx 8 hours a day, in winter it runs off peak for around 4 hours a day. With children i think its well worth it and i could never personally live through a QLD summer without a pool, for sanity reasons,lol. The kids swim most nights after school and all weekend,i think its a relative 'cheap' activity for kids and adults too,lol. We have had the pool 3 years now and the 'novelty' hasnt worn off, just wish i could afford solar heating so it could be used through winter too! Cal x Hi Cal, Is that pretty standard to reduce your pump hours in the winter and when you say off peak what hours are you talking about? We are still pretty new to this pool business. Thanks Wendy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Hi Cal, Is that pretty standard to reduce your pump hours in the winter and when you say off peak what hours are you talking about? We are still pretty new to this pool business. Thanks Wendy Hiya You reduce the pump hours when the weather is cooler and the pool isn't being used as much. You up the time in summer when its hot, water is evaporating and its being swam in alot so has sunscreen etc in it. The time your pump should be on depends on the size of your pool, mine is based on a 50,000 ltr pool. By off peak ,i mean running the pump late at night when everyone has finished swimming for the day and electric is cheaper or in the morning (early). When we first got our pool ,it didnt take me long to realise every pool shop or maintaince guy told a different story to each other,lol, hence i decided to teach myself what the chemicals do, how much should be needed, etc etc .I found Zodiac pool school on line helpful with some of this, it is also free so worth a look. Hope this helps Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cazbeckham Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Hi We bought a property with a pool and it has been worth every penny. As Cal says we run our pump for about 8 hours summer and 4 hours winter but never looked at the cost of this. We take a bottle of the pool water to the pool shop about every 4-6 weeks and usually had to top it up with some kind of chemical or salt. We now have a pool blanket which goes on every night and also stays on through the winter when pool not in use. We had solar put in this year for the pool as we have a very large expanse of roof north facing which is great. I think the only time we will not use it is winter months of June/July/August. We used the pool up till May this year compared to March last year so the solar has certainly extended the use of the pool. Hope that helps Caz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abz123 Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 .I found Zodiac pool school on line helpful with some of this, it is also free so worth a look.Hope this helps Cal x Thanks Cal. This is perfect. Moved into our house late May and haven't done anything with the pool yet other than leave the pump on the timer. Water still tastes salty so must be okay! I am going to be lazy and get Jim in to get me started http://www.jimspoolcare.com.au/ but this Zodiac site is definitely going into my favourites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest One Hour Photo Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 My pool is the one thing that makes life better for me here. I use my pool every day for about 6 months of the year. In Northern Victoria it’s a long summer and the temperatures can be well over 40c for weeks, without a pool it would be unbearable. Looking after a pool (to me) is no different to looking after anything else you have. In the summer I vacuum it pretty much every day, that takes between 10 and 30mins. You can buy a home test kit in the supermarket, that takes a couple of minutes each morning - sometimes I take water into the pool shop just for a double check. As long as you keep on top of things keeping the pool in good condition is easy. Over the winter I give mine a big dose of chlorine from time to time and keep an eye on it and run the filter for a few hours from time to time, so it doesn't go green. My first year I did let it go a bit and it went green, but once I got onto things it only took a few days to get it back in proper order. As for cost I can't say it seems much. Most things are sold in the big stores and supermarkets, a 20 kilo tub of chlorine lasts for ages. My only 'complaint' with my pool is it’s a little bit small, if I had put it in I would have it about a metre bigger on each side. As and when I move a pool (or room to add one) will be an essential item for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest30038 Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Should add that mine is 90,000 litres which makes it a bit :rolleyes: more expensive than most. I bought my pool blanket and 2nd zodiac from here: http://www.poolexpress.com.au/home.php and I haven't found anyone to beat their prices. kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 I love my pool, although it obviously has to be cleaned and maintained which is a hassle at times. It is also a responsibility as well and can be worrying when you have very little kids. Kids do drown every year in backyard pools and I always worried a lot when my kids were very small. It was a huge relief when they were old enough to swim and didn't have to worry about them falling in etc. I think it is a good idea to buy a house with a pool already in it if you want one. However, I don't think that it is seen as an investment. If you don't have a pool and spend $15K putting one in, it won't necessarily add that much value to your house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cazbeckham Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Hi Kev That is where we bought our pool blanket and roller. We just bought the blanket first thinking we would manage withought the roller but WRONG!!!! although we managed the blanket would have to be folded and put in the garage during the day whereas now it is rolled up in seconds on the roller and a cover goes over it to stop the sun drying it out. parleycross As regards to cleaning the pool, we just put the crawler in it once a week and that keeps it really clean and to be honest we dont have any trees that drop leaves, or parrots etc that drop crap into our pool, think we must be lucky. A pool is a must in Australia if you can afford it of course. Re little ones just make sure an adult is outside with them at all times and when they are not in the pool make sure it is securely fenced off. Happy Swimming Caz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
furkew Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 All the above posts pretty much say everything. We are in the Dandenong ranges in Vic, and even though much cooler than Melbourne in general, with a solar blanket & solar heating we get about 7 months use minimum. My boys are now 12 & 15, and will get plenty of use this summer. They dont get bored with it. Instead of just splashing about, its now water polo or inviting friends/girlsfriends around for an evening dip with the lights on. What hasn't been mentioned yet, and is something that needs to be seriously thought about if buying a pool, is that the cost of the pool package is just part of the final figure. A half decent pool package is anything from $25k-$35k (including heating, pumps, solar blanket, creepy crawly etc etc), but landscaping, safety fences, paving etc etc can add up very quickly. We are on a sloping block as well, so ours involved retaining walls as well. The cost of our pool package was just 60% of the final bill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20yrspommie Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 It is very standard to reduce pump hours in the winter by approx 50% Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Hi thereCan anyone tell me the cost implications of owning a swimming pool in Oz. We would like our new life to be everything and more - A typical I am sure. One of the things on our hypothetical wish list is a house with a swimming pool. Do swimming pools cost a lot to maintain on a yearly basis. Or should we just go to the beach? No jibes - were British! :rolleyes: ta Smell If you have young kids, are not near a beach and can afford it yes. If you are near the beach and prefer that then don't bother. We have lots of friends with pools and find that once the novelty has worn off they become expensive, nice to look at things. I don't know of many adults who go in the pool at all. We live close to the beach though. I've often said if we lived up in the hills I would have to have a 25m pool at least. It gets damn hot anywhere inland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cazbeckham Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 We are 60 and 59 yrs of age and we always go in our pool, especially after a days fishing on the boat. And in the summer its great to go in the pool at night when there is a clear sky so you can lay back and watch the starts, shooting stars and satellites going across - fantastic and will never be bored with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest36187 Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 We are 60 and 59 yrs of age and we always go in our pool, especially after a days fishing on the boat. And in the summer its great to go in the pool at night when there is a clear sky so you can lay back and watch the starts, shooting stars and satellites going across - fantastic and will never be bored with it. Good on ya Mum! Note to self tho: Do not lay back in the pool to watch the stars after drinking lots of wine at my mums house!!!!! Not a good feeling!! Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PontePom Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 The rental we've sorted for 6 months to start with doesn't have a pool but it ticked every other box for what we wanted. Some of the nice rentals with a pool didn't really have much of a garden so we went for this one because it has a good size garden and we have permission to install a above ground pool if we wish to because we thought it best to ask before we signed the lease. Been pricing some up and we think it's doable and when we move we'll takes the pool with us. Plus if we put it in the corner of the garden we'll save money on the railings. We found this site Above ground pools & Spa Supplies - Captain Nemo's - Noosa Reef and they have on in Helensvale so will bob in and get quotes once we're settled. Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Ropey HOFF Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 Should add that mine is 90,000 litres which makes it a bit :rolleyes: more expensive than most. I bought my pool blanket and 2nd zodiac from here: Pool Supplies, Baracuda Pool Cleaners, Pool Covers, Pool Pumps and I haven't found anyone to beat their prices. kev We are looking at living in Bracken ridge near kevs so we won't have to fork out for the cost of buying and upkeeping a pool, because we will be round at kevs brilliant pool.lol A few beers and sausages for the barbie should pay our way, is that ok kev?:jiggy: My wife wants a pool and so do i to a certain extent, but..............a jacuzzi is my main priority..............just imagine chilling out in the jacuzzi having a glass of wine and sitting outside for 9 months of the year...............just heaven. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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